U.S. patent application number 11/517858 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for service composition environment.
This patent application is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to Arun Chandrasekhar, Joshy Joseph, Anand C. Ramanathan.
Application Number | 20080059450 11/517858 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39153212 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080059450 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Joseph; Joshy ; et
al. |
March 6, 2008 |
Service composition environment
Abstract
A service composition environment is used to create a
collaborative application that links services, composite services
as well as with other collaborative applications. An application
that is created using the service composition environment may
include any combination of composite services, individual services
and aggregated composite services. Metadata is obtained from the
services that includes functional and non-functional policies,
governance regulations, management aspects, and programmable
binding information that relates to the services.
Inventors: |
Joseph; Joshy; (Redmond,
WA) ; Ramanathan; Anand C.; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Chandrasekhar; Arun; (Bellevue, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD (MICROSOFT)
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
39153212 |
Appl. No.: |
11/517858 |
Filed: |
September 6, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.005 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 9/5038 20130101;
G06Q 10/10 20130101; H04L 67/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/5 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for providing a virtualized
collaboration environment, comprising: defining services within a
service composition environment; wherein each of the services
relate to an individual service; or a composite service; or an
aggregated composite service; obtaining information relating to
each of the services; wherein the information includes functional
and non-functional policies, governance regulations, management
aspects, and programmable binding information that relates to each
of the services; obtaining information relating to the execution
environment; wherein the information includes functional and
non-functional policies, governance regulations, management
aspects, and programmable binding information that relates to a
hosting environment; defining routing information to link each of
the services; defining a collaborative context that includes rules
that are used during runtime to control the exchange and the
routing of messages between the services in the service composition
environment; and creating a definition of the environment based on
the services; the obtained information; the routing information;
and the collaborative context.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the information
relating to each of the services comprises obtaining metadata
either directly from each of the services or from a service
repository.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the metadata for each
of the services comprises obtaining the metadata from the execution
environment.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the definition comprises
generating an XML representation that defines the services, the
routing rules associated with the services; properties relating to
the services and the collaborative context.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising setting attributes for
each of the services; wherein the attributes specify how the
service is to interact with messages associated with one or more of
the services.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising simulating an
execution of the environment and validating the services defined
within the service composition environment.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the routing information
to link each of the services and defining the collaborative context
further comprises applying a design pattern to the services;
wherein the design pattern includes routing rules that define
allowed connections between the services.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the design pattern specifies the
routing rules for system services, composite services and public
wrappers.
9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable
instructions for providing a graphical tool for defining a context,
the instructions comprising: displaying a work area that is used to
define participants; routing rules and collaborative context rules
for the context; displaying participants for the context within the
work area; displaying routing information within the work area;
wherein the routing information connects the participants; and
displaying the collaborative context rules within the work area;
wherein the collaborative context rules control the exchange and
the routing of messages between the participants in the
context.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising
determining when a participant is added to the work area.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising
automatically determining metadata information that is associated
with the participant after the participant is added to the work
area.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising
determining when a web service is added to the work area.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising
displaying a dialog box to locate Web Service Description Language
(WSDL) for the web service.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising
determining when a route is added to the work area; and when a
route is added to the work area creating a routing rule between at
least two of the participants.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising
displaying a dialog box to set participant attributes.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising
determining when a service logic component is added to the work
area; wherein the service logic component adds rules to the context
and manages ambiguities and exceptions.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising
determining when a user component is added to the work area;
wherein the user component specifies credentials for one or more
services in the context.
18. An apparatus, comprising: a processor and a computer-readable
medium; an operating environment stored on the computer-readable
medium and executing on the processor; a display; and an
application operating under the control of the operating
environment and operative to perform actions, including: editing
services within a service composition environment; wherein the
services within the service composition environment comprise an
individual service and a composite service; determining when a
service is added and when the service is added: obtaining metadata
relating to the service; wherein the metadata includes functional
and non-functional policies, governance regulations, management
aspects, and programmable binding information that relates to the
service; editing routing rules; wherein the routing rules link each
of the services; editing a collaborative context that controls the
exchange and the routing of messages between the services; and
generating an XML definition that defines the services, the routing
rules; properties relating to the services and the collaborative
context.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the application is further
configured to set attributes for each of the services; wherein the
attributes specify how the service is to interact with messages
associated with one or more of the services.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the application is further
configured to graphically display the services and routing
information on the display.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Some software products have the ability to link services to
create a collaborative application. These software products link
services, such as Web Services, together by describing the
interactions of the messages between the services, the content of
the messages, as well as the timing of the messages between the
services within the collaborative application. These exchanges
between the different services, however, may be very complex and
difficult to describe.
SUMMARY
[0002] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of
the claimed subject matter.
[0003] A service composition environment is used to create a
collaborative application that links services, composite services
as well as with other collaborative applications. An application
that is created using the service composition environment may
include any combination of composite services, individual services
and aggregated composite services. Metadata is obtained from the
services are included within the service composition environment.
The metadata information includes functional and non-functional
policies, governance regulations, management aspects, and
programmable binding information that relates to the services. In
addition the composition environment could dynamically discover and
enforce runtime policy driven meta behaviors on the service
composition aspects. The service composition environment provides a
graphical representation for defining the relationships and setting
the properties relating to the individual services and composite
services.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computing device;
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram that links composite
services;
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of linking composite
services;
[0007] FIG. 4 shows a virtual collaborative environment;
[0008] FIGS. 5-9 illustrate building a composite application using
a virtual collaborative environment;
[0009] FIG. 10 illustrates another service composition environment
for designing a context;
[0010] FIG. 11 illustrates a Web Service popup dialog box;
[0011] FIG. 12 shows an XML report for the classes that are
displayed on the work area;
[0012] FIGS. 13-15 illustrate an exemplary context model in which a
context can be referred to as the base model itself;
[0013] FIG. 16 illustrates a process for creating a context;
[0014] FIG. 17 shows a random service composition pattern; and
[0015] FIG. 18 illustrates a service composition pattern following
a design pattern.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals
represent like elements, various embodiment will be described. In
particular, FIG. 1 and the corresponding discussion are intended to
provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing
environment in which embodiments may be implemented.
[0017] Generally, program modules include routines, programs,
components, data structures, and other types of structures that
perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data
types. Other computer system configurations may also be used,
including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems,
microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,
minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Distributed
computing environments may also be used where tasks are performed
by remote processing devices that are linked through a
communications network. In a distributed computing environment,
program modules may be located in both local and remote memory
storage devices.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 1, an illustrative computer
architecture for a computer 100 utilized in the various embodiments
will be described. The computer architecture shown in FIG. 1 may be
configured as a desktop or mobile computer and includes a central
processing unit 5 ("CPU"), a system memory 7, including a random
access memory 9 ("RAM") and a read-only memory ("ROM") 11, and a
system bus 12 that couples the memory to the CPU 5. A basic
input/output system containing the basic routines that help to
transfer information between elements within the computer, such as
during startup, is stored in the ROM 11. The computer 100 further
includes a mass storage device 14 for storing an operating system
16, application programs, and other program modules, which will be
described in greater detail below.
[0019] The mass storage device 14 is connected to the CPU 5 through
a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 12. The
mass storage device 14 and its associated computer-readable media
provide non-volatile storage for the computer 100. Although the
description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a
mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, the
computer-readable media can be any available media that can be
accessed by the computer 100.
[0020] By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable
media may comprise computer storage media and communication media.
Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile,
removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or
technology for storage of information such as computer-readable
instructions, data structures, program modules or other data.
Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM,
EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology,
CD-ROM, digital versatile disks ("DVD"), or other optical storage,
magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other
magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to
store the desired information and which can be accessed by the
computer 100.
[0021] According to various embodiments, computer 100 may operate
in a networked environment using logical connections to remote
computers through a network 18, such as the Internet. The computer
100 may connect to the network 18 through a network interface unit
20 connected to the bus 12. The network connection may be wireless
and/or wired. The network interface unit 20 may also be utilized to
connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The
computer 100 may also include an input/output controller 22 for
receiving and processing input from a number of other devices,
including a keyboard, mouse, or electronic stylus (not shown in
FIG. 1). Similarly, an input/output controller 22 may provide
output to a display screen 28, a printer, or other type of output
device.
[0022] As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and
data files may be stored in the mass storage device 14 and RAM 9 of
the computer 100, including an operating system 16 suitable for
controlling the operation of a networked personal computer, such as
the WINDOWS XP operating system from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of
Redmond, Wash. The mass storage device 14 and RAM 9 may also store
one or more program modules. In particular, the mass storage device
14 and the RAM 9 may store an application program 10. The
application program 10 is operative to provide a service
composition development environment. According to one embodiment,
the application program 10 comprises the MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO
application program from MICROSOFT CORPORATION. Other application
programs that provide an integrated development environment from
other manufacturers may also be modified to include the
functionality of the service composition environment described
herein. Many of these products are known as orchestration products.
These orchestration products are directed to reusing existing
services to create an application by defining the flow between the
services included within the application.
[0023] The application program 10 may utilize a service composition
application 26. Although service composition application 26 is
shown separate from application program 10, it may be included
within application program 10. As will be described in greater
detail below, the service composition application 26 is used to
create a collaborative application that may itself include one or
more collaborative applications that are combined with one or more
individual services and composite services.
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram that links composite services,
individual services and aggregated composite services. As
illustrated, composite service environment 200 includes composite
service 205, individual service 210, composite service 215,
aggregated composite service 220 and aggregated composite service
230. Aggregated composite service 220 includes service semantics
(222, 224 and 226) for composite service 205, individual service
210, and composite service 215.
[0025] The services are linked together using a service composition
environment that allows a user to place services within a work area
and define the connections and properties relating to the services.
Each of the services whether an individual service, a composite
service or an aggregated composite service expose meta information
that allows routing rules to be created between the services
whether they be individual services, composite services or
aggregated composite services. The meta information may also be
used to combine individual services into a composite service.
According to one embodiment, the service composition environment
provides a graphical design tool that allows a user to edit the
connections of the services and applications within a graphical
interface. Generally, the graphical tool allows a user to compose
services, define message routing rules between services based on
the meta information discovered from the services and create a
collaboration context for dynamic experiences. As illustrated,
individual service 210 is configured to send messages to composite
services 205 and 210 and aggregated composite service 220.
Composite services 205 and 215 are configured to send messages to
aggregated composite service 220 and the aggregated composite
services 220 and 230 are configured to send messages between each
other. The information defining the services, composite services,
aggregated composite services along with the meta information and
the rules between the services may collectively be referred to as a
collaborative context.
[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of linking composite services.
The example provided is not intended to be limiting, but may be
used for explanatory purposes.
[0027] As an example, consider a composite service 310 that
represents a user as a composite of his communication device and
location services including a mobile device that includes an email
application 314; a SMS application 315; an instant messaging and a
calendar application 320. User context 312 defines the rules
relating to the composite service. When a message is sent to the
user, depending on the message format and the rules that are
contained within user context 312 that determine the location of
the user, the message is sent to the user by the appropriate
communication medium depending on the situation. Suppose that user
context 312 includes a policy that if the user 330 is in a meeting,
as may be determined from calendar application 320, then the rule
specifies to use SMS application to send user 330 an SMS message to
the user's mobile device. The rules defined by user context 312 may
specify that in all other situations that when a message is
received to use whatever communication method is chosen. According
to another embodiment, composite service 310 could include one or
more predefined context services, For example, predefined context
services could provide information regarding the user's identity,
presence, location as well as other related information that is
associated with the user.
[0028] A price checking composite application 340 is also
illustrated that determines the price of a book or some other item.
Composite application 340 includes a price check context 350 that
defines the interactions between price check service 342, camera
service 344, image recognition service 346 and bar code to ISBN
service 348 where user 330 desires to find the price of a book by
using an ISBN number.
[0029] Now suppose that user 330 wants to find the price of a book
from price checking composite service 340 but also wants the
results delivered according to the user's composite service 310.
When the user sends an image of the book's ISBN number, the price
check context receives the image and the image recognition service
346 receives the image; extracts the ISBN number and sends the ISBN
number to the book price check service 342 to determine a price.
Price check context now returns the located price to user 330.
Without a method to link the composite service applications, the
price check service application would provide the user 330 with
whatever its default method of sending the price. For example, if
composite price checking service 340 sends the price as an email
then user 330 would receive an email even though user 330 may be in
a meeting. In this example, however, the user 330 has a composite
service that represents the user that is linked with composite
service 340. In other words, the composite service 310 representing
user 330 participates in the book price check service just as if it
were a service. When the price of the book is returned to the user
composite service 310, depending on where the user is located, the
user receives this price by email or by SMS, or some other method
as specified by a rule within user context 312.
[0030] In order to link the composite services, a service
composition environment illustrated herein allows users to
construct service oriented applications using existing services or
composite of services that simplifies importing those applications
as services into other service oriented applications. At runtime,
the application created within the service composition environment
collaborates with the composite service and the application logic
behind the composite service is executed. This collaboration is
achieved based on the contextual information such as policies,
service behaviors, and governance gathered from services taking
part in the scenario, and other meta-information such as user's
presence, location, trust and identity.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows a virtual collaborative environment. As
illustrated, virtual collaborative environment 400 includes virtual
collaborative environment 420 that is linked to services 405 and
435, and composite applications 410 and 430. Virtual collaborative
environment 422 specifies the message routing rules 424 and a
collaborative context 422 for the services 405 and 435 and
composite applications 410 and 430 that are included within the
environment.
[0032] A user specifies the services or composite services that are
included within the collaborative environment through the use tools
that are associated with a service composition environment. A
service composition design tool may be used to discovers services
and/or collaborative services that are already included on a
particular system or through a dynamic discovery process. The
metadata that is associated with these services is obtained from
these services either directly from the service itself or from a
service repository that is associated with the service. This
metadata information includes functional and non-functional
polices, governance regulations, management aspects, and
programmable binding information that relates to the services. This
information may then be presented to the user for further
configuration of the routing rules 424. The user creates
appropriate routing rules 424 for the message/document exchange
between the services based on the collaboration requirements of the
application. The execution environment could enforce additional
policies and routing behaviors such as applicable polices,
messaging patterns, and required governance model. These behaviors
are discovered and enforced on the context by the composition
tools.
[0033] A collaborative context 422 for the composite service
environment 400 is defined by inspecting each of the services
and/or aggregated services that are contained within the
environment. In addition, the context may be further contextualized
based on the user's presence, location and other attributes related
to an individual user acting on the scenario. Also service
execution environment may further contextualized this context by
applying the environment policies and rules. The collaborative
context 422 is used for runtime decision making for exchanging
messages between the services and composite applications as well as
for the routing of messages between the services and the composite
applications. The collaborative context 422 may initially define
the routing rules for the messaging between the services which may
then be modified by a user to further tune the system.
[0034] The service composition environment leverages existing and
developing specifications, protocols, and technologies including
but not limited to eXtensible Markup Language (XML), Simple Object
Access Protocol (SOAP), the Web Services Description Language
(WSDL), the Web Services Metadata Exchange (WS-MetadataExchange);
domain-specific language (DSL) tools and software factories. The
Web services use metadata to describe what other endpoints need to
know to interact with them. For instance the WS-Policy
specification describes the capabilities, requirements, and general
characteristics of Web services; the WSDL specification describes
abstract message operations, concrete network protocols, and
endpoint addresses used by Web services; and the XML Schema
describes the structure and contents of XML-based messages received
by and sent by Web services.
[0035] Virtual collaborative environment 440 illustrates that a
user may add other virtual collaborative environments to a single
composition. When another virtual collaborative environment is
added to the composition the context and routing rules are
integrated with the new virtualized environment. Other virtual
collaborative environments may be added to the composition at any
time. When added, the added virtual collaborative environment
discovers the existing virtualized environment's context and
routing rules and integrates itself with the new virtualized
environment
[0036] FIGS. 5-9 illustrate building a composite application using
a virtual collaborative environment. The exemplary tools
illustrated in FIGS. 5-9 are not intended to be limiting, but are
used for explanatory purposes. Other tools may be defined and
implemented to create the composite application. The tool is used
to create a collaboration context and a virtualized collaboration
environment.
[0037] To create an application, a user launches the service
composition environment. According to one embodiment, the
functionality of the service composition environment is included
within the Visual Studio environment by MICROSOFT
COROPORATION.RTM.. Any development environment, however, may be
used in creating the application. For example, a custom develop
environment may be created or some other application program may be
modified to incorporate the service composition tools. According to
one embodiment, a user may build an Service Delivery Platform (SDP)
solution, a context definition, a SDP web service, a smart device
application as well as SDP service logic/workflow.
[0038] Referring now to FIG. 5, for explanatory purposes, assume
the user is creating a SDP solution. When launched, a blank context
designer window 530 is used as the work area to build the solution.
Starting with an empty context designer window allows a user to add
to the solution. As can be seen on the left hand side of the work
area, the user may add one or more: web services 502; service logic
504; users 506 and devices 508 to the work area 530. Other options
may also be presented to the user depending on the solution that is
being created. Additionally, a user may open an already defined
solution and use that solution as a starting point for the new
solution. In that case, work area 530 would already be populated
with services.
[0039] Referring to environment 520 a user has added a new web
service 522 into the context When a web service is added to the
context, a window 524 is provided to the user which allows the user
to enter a URL 526 directly to access a desired web service. A
search of the Services Directory may also be performed to find the
web service. Locating the web service provides the service
composition with the Web Service Description Language (WSDL) that
is used within the context. The window 524 may also include
information relating to the web service, such as a description of
the service, binding, policy or other information relating to the
service.
[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates setting participant attributes for newly
added service. According to one embodiment, a wizard captures the
participant attributes to apply to the participant. Many other
methods, however, may be used to set the participant attributes
some of which are shown in later figures and their related
description. The participant attributes include an attribute: to
organize messages (610); respond only to requests (620); passive
observer (630); and as an intercept participant (640); and others.
A user may select any of the attributes that apply to the
participant. In the current example, the user has selected to
originate messages without requesting a response and only
responding to requests. The passive observer attribute 630 option
allows the participant to receive messages but not respond to the
messages. The intercept participant 640 allows the participant to
handle any ambiguities. Ambiguities can occur when the message sent
by one participant cannot be directly consumed by other
participants and therefore require service logic to adjust for the
differences. When an ambiguity is to be resolved then the
participant is generally set as an intercept participant.
[0041] FIG. 7 shows adding a service logic component to the
solution. After selecting service logic component 504 and dragging
it onto the work area 530 a selection window 710 is presented to
the user to add an existing service logic component. For example,
the service logic component could be a NET or COM+ object. Other
service logic components may also be utilized. The service logic
component adds rules to the context and manage ambiguities and
exceptions. Participant attributes for the service logic component
may also be defined as shown in FIG. 6.
[0042] FIG. 8 illustrates adding a user to the solution. Similar to
a web service, a user can add a new user component. Selecting user
component 506 to work area 530 causes user selection window 810 to
be displayed. When the credentials required for this service are
known, they can either be automatically added or manually added
into the context. The user credentials provide access to the user's
persona which contains ID mappings for the various services in the
context. This allows user identities to be mapped to the various
service. This also invokes implicit identity management
capabilities of the context. The user may use browse button 812 to
locate more users or use the select button 814 to select the
user.
[0043] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary XML description for a
context. The following is exemplary XML that defines a context that
includes three participants including two web services and a
user.
TABLE-US-00001 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ContextDefinition name="Mobile Device Setup">
<ContextServer location="http://localhost:8085/SayHello" />
<Configuration> <ConfigurationItem key="Security Services"
value="http://localhost/SecurityService/SecurityService.asmx" />
</Configuration> <Participant type="User">
<Service>Security Services</Service>
<UserID>text</UserID>
<Password>xxx</Password>
<WSDL>http://localhost/SecurityService/SecurityService.asmx</
WSD> </Participant> <Participant type="Webservice">
<ServiceCategory>Email Provider Service Provider</
ServiceCategory> <ServiceName>Email
Provider</ServiceName>
<WSDL>http://localhost/Emailprovider/Emailprovider.asmx</
WSDL> </Participant> <Participant type="Webservice">
<ServiceCategory>Mobile Device Setup Service
Provider</ServiceCategory> <ServiceName>Mobile Device
Setup</ServiceName>
<WSDL>http://localhost/MobileProvisioning/
MobileProvisioning.asmx </WSDL> </Participant>
</ContextDefinition>
[0044] FIG. 10 illustrates another service composition environment
for designing a context. Referring to FIG. 10 it can be seen that a
route class 1012, context class 1014 and participant class 1016 and
1018 are on work surface 1020. Similar to the views provided in
FIGS. 5-9, the work surface 1020 provides another approach for
displaying the participant, routing and context information. In
this example, the route class and context class are shown within
the work area such that a user may easily select their
representative icons and change the information that is contained
within them.
[0045] Toolbox window 1014 may be used to add items to the work
area 1020. For example, to add another Participant Class on the
work area, a user clicks on the Toolbox 1040 and drags the icon
representing the Participant Class onto the work area. The work
area would then include the newly added participant class.
[0046] Participant 2 is shown with a dotted line around it to
indicate that it is currently selected. Properties window 1030
allows a user to enter the properties for the Participant Class. In
this example, the properties window shows the properties for the
currently selected participant, participant 2. The default values
that are initially populated for the participant class may also be
modified using the properties window 1030.
[0047] Should the user desire to set the service attribute for
participant 2 the user drills down to the service property 1032 and
clicks on the icon next to the service property.
[0048] FIG. 11 illustrates a Web Service popup dialog box. Dialog
1100 allows a user to browse for the web service they would like to
specify. Dialog 1100 is displayed in response to the user clicking
on the icon next to the service property shown in FIG. 10.
[0049] Selecting one of the links under the Browse to: option in
window 1110 allows the user to search for the web service that is
currently in the solution; on the machine or on a server. The user
may also directly enter the URL for the Web Service in URL box
1112. Selecting the Add button 1116 selects the Web Service and
associates it with the participant that is currently selected. If
the cancel button is selected or if dialog 1100 is closed no Web
Service is selected.
[0050] Referring back to FIG. 10, once the properties are set for
the classes that are displayed on the work area 1020, a user may
create an XML representation of the collaboration context.
[0051] FIG. 12 shows an XML report for the classes that are
displayed on the work area. The XML report includes the manifest
details for the classes placed on the work area. The relevant
attributes and element values are set from the properties for the
classes. The following illustrates the XML created for the classes
placed on the work area in the present example.
TABLE-US-00002 <Context> <ContextManifest
timestamp="09/01/2006 00:00:00" serialize="Serialize"
state="State"RouteAnyAction="False" AckOnRouteMsgToParticipant =
"False"> <ContextName>ContextName</ContextName>
<ContextID>ContextID</ContextID> <Participants>
Participant> <ParticipantManifest timeout="09/01/2006
00:00:00" role="Role" mode="Mode" type="False"
service="http://msdn.com"> <ParticipantName>"09/01/2006
00:00:00"</ParticipantName>
<ParticipantUrl>"False"</ParticipantURL>
<Actions>"Actions"</Actions>
</ParticipantManifest> </Participant>
<Participant> <ParticipantManifest timeout="01/01/0001
00:00:00" role="Role" mode="Mode" type="False"
service="http://msdn.com"> <ParticipantName>"01/01/0001
00:00:00"</ParticipantName>
<ParticipantUrl>"False"</ParticipantURL>
<Actions>"Actions"</Actions>
</ParticipantManifest> </Participant>
</Participants>
[0052] FIGS. 13-15 illustrate an exemplary context model in which a
context can be referred to as the base model itself. As illustrated
within the following diagrams, the participants (Participant 1
through 4) are the classes and the connecting the participants
represent the routes. As illustrated in FIG. 13, there are four
participant classes including participant 1 (1330); participant 2
(1338); participant 3 (1334) and participant 4 (1342). Participant
1 (1330) sends messages to participant 2 and participant 3.
Participant 3 sends messages to participant 2. and participant 2
sends messages to participant 4. A window 1360 to edit the
properties and debug the context model may also be provided.
Alternatively, pop up windows, or some other type of window, may be
displayed in response to a user selecting a participant or a
route.
[0053] FIG. 14 illustrates adding a new participant to the work
area 1310. According to one embodiment, the user selects the
participant class and drags and places the icon representing the
participant class on the work area. In the present example, the
user has placed participant 5 (1422) beneath participant 4. After
placing participant 5 the user connects it with a route 1424.
Properties can be set for participant using the properties window
(See 1360 in FIG. 13). For example, to set the participant
properties the user selects the participant that they would like to
set.
[0054] After setting the properties for the context class, the XML
may be generated that represents the participants (classes placed
on work area) and the routes (connectors). According to one
embodiment, the XML is generated by selecting a menu option.
[0055] FIG. 15 illustrates a portion of the generated XML for the
classes and the routes that were included in the work area
illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. The resulting XML includes the
relevant attributes and elements defined as properties.
TABLE-US-00003 <Actions>Actions4</Actions>
<RoutingTable> <Routes> <Route>
<Criteria>Participant 2</Criteria> <Intercept />
<Destination>Participant 4</Destination> </Route>
<Route> <Criteria>Participant 4</Criteria>
<Intercept /> <Destination>Participant
5</Destination> </Route> </Routes>
</RoutingTable> </ParticipantManifest>
</Participant> <Participant> <ParticipantManifest
timeout="01/01/0001 00:00:00" role="0" mode="" type="">
<ParticipantName>Participant 5</ParticipantName>
<ParticipantUrl>False</ParticipantUrl> <Actions
/> <RoutingTable> <Routes> <Route>
<Criteria>Participant 4</Criteria> <Intercept />
<Destination>Participant 5</Destination> </Route>
</Routes> </RoutingTable> </ParticipantManifest>
</Participant> </Participants> </ContextManifest>
</Context>
[0056] FIG. 16 illustrates a process for creating a context.
[0057] When reading the discussion of the routines presented
herein, it should be appreciated that the logical operations of
various embodiments are implemented (1) as a sequence of computer
implemented acts or program modules running on a computing system
and/or (2) as interconnected machine logic circuits or circuit
modules within the computing system. The implementation is a matter
of choice dependent on the performance requirements of the
computing system implementing the invention. Accordingly, the
logical operations illustrated and making up the embodiments
described herein are referred to variously as operations,
structural devices, acts or modules. These operations, structural
devices, acts and modules may be implemented in software, in
firmware, in special purpose digital logic, and any combination
thereof.
[0058] After a start operation, the process flows to operation
1610, where the service composition environment is opened. The
environment may be opened to create a new context, in which the
context starts with no participants, or the environment may open a
previously saved context. For example, the context could contain an
individual service; a composite service; a description of a
composite application or any combination thereof.
[0059] Flowing to operation 1620, a user may edit the participants
to include within the context. The user may add, delete, or edit
properties that are associated with the participants. The
participants may include single services, composite services,
aggregated composite services as well as applications that include
on or more the defined services.
[0060] At operation 1630, when the services are defined, metadata
that is associated with the services may be obtained that relates
to the services. The metadata that is associated with these
services is obtained either directly from the services or from a
service repository that is associated with the service or from the
execution environment. The metadata includes functional and
non-functional polices, governance regulations, management aspects,
and programmable binding information that relates to the services.
This metadata may then be used to present the user for further
configuration of the routing rules.
[0061] Flowing to operation 1640, the user edits the routing
information for the message/document exchange between the services
based on the collaboration requirements of the application. Initial
routing information may be configured when the user graphically
connects the services within the service composition
environment.
[0062] Transitioning to operation 1650, the context rules may be
edited. The context rules are used for runtime decision making for
exchanging messages between the services as well as for the routing
of messages between the services.
[0063] The process then moves to operation 1660 the XML may be
generated for the information that is contained within the context.
The XML represents the details for the participants, routes, and
the context that is included within the context. The relevant
attributes and element values are also defined from the properties
for the classes. Although XML is used to represent the information
that is contained within the context, some other language may be
used to describe the information within the context.
[0064] The process then moves to an end operation and returns to
processing other actions.
[0065] FIG. 17 shows a random service composition pattern. External
systems 1710 are coupled to services 1720 which are coupled to
internal systems 1730. The random service composition pattern
illustrated does not utilize design pattern thereby resulting in a
chaotic composition of services. Without a design pattern to
compose services in a standard well-defined manner the services may
be composed at random from other services across the enterprise
resulting in many unneeded connections and routing information.
Among other problems, a random composition is difficult to maintain
since it generally results in a complex web of disorganized
services with no clear boundaries. The random composition of
services also blurs the boundary between private services internal
to the enterprise and services publicly exposed by the enterprise
which can also result in security problems. As illustrated, all of
the public and private services are contained within services
1720.
[0066] FIG. 18 illustrates a service composition pattern following
a design pattern. FIG. 18 shows the application of the design
pattern to the random service composition diagram illustrated in
FIG. 17. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 17 with FIG. 18, there
are fewer connections between the services in FIG. 18 thereby
resulting in a composition pattern that is more easily maintainable
as compared to the random composition pattern. A service
composition design pattern is directed at addressing the problem of
creating composite services within an enterprise with several
internal systems and several external clients & external
services (such as B2B services) that need access to these internal
systems.
[0067] According to one embodiment, the services in the enterprise
are one of three types (System Services, Composite Services and
Public Wrappers) which each follow a set of routing rules.
[0068] According to one embodiment, the system services use the
following rules. System services are specific to and talk directly
to one system. As used herein, system may refer to a data store, a
legacy system, a legacy service, a business application, and the
like. System could also mean another system service or an external
system. System services communicate with the system determined in
the first rule. In other words, the system services do not talk to
other services or other systems. Third, the system services act as
wrappers around a specific system. There is a single system service
to access a particular system in the enterprise. System Services
are private to the enterprise and not exposed for consumption by
external systems. A System Service can be accessed externally using
a composite service or using a public wrapper around the system
service.
[0069] According to one embodiment, composite services use the
following rules. Composite services are composed of at least two
services and talk to two or more services. If a service only
communicates with one service, then that service is a system
service. Composite services do not communicate directly with
systems but to other services. They can talk to internal systems
using a system service or indirectly using another composite
service. Composite services can be exposed for external consumption
(although there can also be private composite services internal to
the enterprise) A specific external system
(user/client/application/service) can communicate to this
enterprise using a single composite service. A single composite
service, however, can service multiple external systems. A
composite service does not directly call an external service. It
can access an external service using a system service wrapper
around the external service.
[0070] According to one embodiment, public wrappers use the
following rules. Public wrapper services are wrappers around
private services in order to expose them to the outside world in a
secure manner. Public wrappers talk to one private (system or
composite) service.
[0071] Applying the above rules results in the service composition
illustrated in FIG. 18. Referring to FIG. 18 it can be seen that
there is a clear differentiation between the public services 1820
and private services 1830. Additionally there are fewer connections
between external systems 1810, public services 1820, private
services 1830 and internal systems 1840. This composition process
and tools are used in the Service composition process to further
advance the capabilities of the tools described in FIG. 5-14 and
the process defined in FIG. 16.
[0072] The above specification, examples and data provide a
complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition
of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,
the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
* * * * *
References